A Gypsy's Lie
by Tiger Clan Warrior
Summary: Before the Jade Palace, before Master Shifu, before it all began. Tigress's father, Bai Jian, is the young leader of the Tiger Clan. The gypsies have been raiding his village, and he plans to but a stop to it. Lianghu. The king of thieves daughter. He was taught to never trust a gypsy, but love can be a bit cruel, can't it? This is the story of Tigress's parents and how they met.
1. Chapter 1

A Gypsy's Lie

A South Chinese crept up on the small thieves' camp. He looked to be about eighteen, with green eyes spotted with dusty golden flecks. His black stripes stood out boldly against his faded orange fur. Tied Around his head was a black strip of cloth, the symbol for "Courage" showing up in white. Bai Jian silently swallowed as he looked down upon the hideout of the fugitives. There were so many of them, he didn't know if his plan could work. Despite the odds, it had too. It was the only way to prevent his people from being robbed time and time again. Somewhere in the village laid the key to finally getting rid of the dreaded gypsies once and for all. The Rom Bora's daughter, Lianghu. She was the one weakness of the thieves' king.

"On my signal," he whispered to Da, his trustworthy friend. Da nodded as Bai Jian pulled the cloak around him and stood. Entrance to the gypsy camp was easy enough, it was getting close enough to Lianghu that would be the hard part. He sauntered past the guards, the cloak's hood shielding his identity. The sound of guitars being plucked and tambourines keeping time drifted up through the air. _They apparently like to dance,_ he thought as dresses and skirts whirled by him. A few of the men had even begun to dance with the beautiful girls. Their anklets and arm decorations clanked together as couples, or singles, spun around the main fire. Musicians smiled and continued making their art.

One figure stood out to the young leader. She was slightly smaller than the rest, intricate black and red jewelry decorating her black and orange arms. The tigress wore a black flared qipao with the bottom blazing out to red. A golden dragon swirled its way up the skirt of the dress, twisting and turning with the dancer. Her bright blue eyes seemed to smile as moved in sync with the others. Bai Jian couldn't help but gawk for a moment at the beautiful sight he saw before him. All too soon, the memory of his mission came back into mind. _Find Lianghu and get out._

"Excuse me," He asked an older tiger, "Where is Lianghu?"

The wrinkled feline snorted, "What are you, blind or something? She's over there with the others as usual." He jabbed a finger at the female tiger Bai Jian noticed earlier.

Bai Jian thanked the elder and walked around the fire. Lianghu's eyes seemed to dance with the flames, laugh lines creasing around the edges. The song ended, and the musicians started up a more eerie, haunting tune. Whispers whirled around him.

"It's Lianghu's song!" rasped one.

"Lianghu!" Someone cried, "Tell us your story!"

"Yeah, tell us!" a little kid yelled.

Lianhu smiled and stepped forward, "Alright"

Bai Jian leaned against a tree to watch, he had time to kill anyways. _This should be interesting,_ the young leader silently thought. The tigress took off the red sash around her waist, twirling it around a couple times in the air. She started to step in beat with the music.

_Now listen to a tale filled with wonder_

_Stories of long ago_

_You may feel the need to flee_

_But before you can I'll have you on your knees_

_Somewhere deep in the woods where no one knows_

_Lived a dragon by the name of Bao-Zhi_

_Two coal black buttons for his eyes and a horn for a nose_

_On his scales were written tales of myth and mystery_

A couple children giggled, one singing, "_He dashes through the night, in his eyes is such a fright_

_For if you encounter Bao-Zhi, you're in for quite a sight."_

Lianghu laughed and made her way over to Bai Jian, "_Tell me good sir, have you seen the monster of mystery?" _She laced her red sash around him, pulling the tiger closer to the fire. Bai Jian started to struggle, but then he realized that this was probably part of the dance. She smiled as he followed her until they reached the edge of the fire. The music picked up to an even faster pace.

_You see I'm just poor soul trying to run away_

_I never did any wrong_

_But I guess there is one thing I have to say_

_There's nothing worth more than killing Bao-Zhi!_

_Now some have come to take me away_

_To put me in a terrible dungeon_

_Poor poor Lianghu, _

_She'll run until she finds refuge_

_You better watch out_

_Because the next one she'll kill is you!_

Bai Jian watch as Lianghu circled around him, still singing and dancing. The song ended, and with great reluctance the people dispersed to their cart like homes and wagons. Lianghu had paused to tie her sash back around her waist, tucking an unseen object into the red cloth. He knew that this was his chance. The tiger caught hold of her sash and pulled her to him.

"Hey! Watch it-"

"One wrong move, and you're dead," rasped the young leader as he pushed the dull end of a knife against her delicate back.

Lianghu silently swallowed and nodded, showing that she understood. Bai Jian shoved her forward, but the gypsy rolled her eyes, stopping on his foot. It took all the patience he could muster to not retaliate, somehow he restrained himself and kept walking. They neared the exit of the camp, and he saw two men standing guard. Bai Jian put his mouth near Lianghu's ear so only she could hear his voice.

"Tell the guards we're going for a walk."

"I'll do no such thing!" She snapped back.

"If you value your father's life, I suggest you do as I say."

Lianghu rolled her eyes, "I don't-"

"You there!" A voice cut her off, "What are you doing out this late at night?" A male snow leopard stood in their way, but his face softened when he saw the small figure before him. "Lianghu!" He looked at Bai Jian then back at her, "Who is this guy?"

The young tiger struggled to keep her voice steady, "H-he's a friend of mine, we're just going out for a walk."

The guard looked at her curiously, then he examined Bai Jian, "…I've never seen you around before."

Bai Jian spoke, "I'm a friend from one of the northern villages."

"Your accent gives you away."

The blade against Lianghu's back was applied more pressure, signaling her to say something. She stuttered for a moment, "I-I know him from when we were kids."

"…..I see. Watch out for scouts, Bai Jian's still looking for us."

She nodded, "I will. Thank you."

The tiger and his hostage quickly walked pass the guard and onto the path leading up to the village. It was obvious that the gypsy girl was _not_ enjoying being shoved around by a stranger. Bai Jian, on the other hand, was amused at his enemy weakly struggling against him. Her small wrists would pound him when no one was in sight, but if a goat vender or a pig farmer happened to come along, Lianghu would walk alongside her captor, pretending to dote over him. Finally, it was past sundown, signaling for all the villagers to stay inside their houses. Before Bai Jian knew it, Lianghu had pinned him against a wall, knife to his neck.

"Wooah," He raised up his hands, "Let's not be irrational here."

Her usually bright blue eyes were harboring storms, "Who are you? And how did you find our hideout?"

"I'm Bai Jian, and I just followed the loud music. Honestly, you'd think your people would be quiet. Plus we also had reports on several gypsy raids."

The knife against his neck pressed harder, "We are NOT _gypsies_! We're just villagers like you!"

The tiger smirked, "You travel village to village, plundering wherever you go."

Lianghu bit her lip, Bai Jian _did_ have a point. "…what do you want from me?"

The male tiger studied her for a moment, "I want to kidnap you, but you won't kill me."

She raised an eyebrow, "What makes you so sure of that?"

He shrugged, "You just said so yourself. You're a villager, just like me, remember? We don't kill people just for the fun of it."

His words made the female tiger falter, giving Bai Jian the chance to once again gain possession of the blade. He quickly put Lianghu in the place where he was once held captive. She glared at him as the young leader pinned the beautiful girl against the stone.

"Let me go!" Lianghu cried, struggling against him. The scent of jasmine rose up to the male tiger's nostrils, reminding him of his mother. She had been killed by gypsies, and Bai Jian would _never_ forgive the heartless thieves for it.

He smirked, "You see, I would let you go, but I appear to have a problem. A band of "villagers" have been raiding the citizens of this humble valley, and I intend to put an end to it."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"It's simple. Your father will agree to move beyond our borders in exchange for his daughter. If, however, he refuses, I'll make an example of what will happen to other gypsies by mercilessly killing his own daughter."

Her sapphire blue eyes widened in horror, "You wouldn't dare."

He emitted a chuckle, "Oh wouldn't I? Madam, I'm the leader of the Tiger Clan, I am not known for being soft hearted."

The female tiger closed her eyes, taking a shaky breath. Bai Jian grabbed her wrist and quickly tugged her along the dirt path. Lianghu tried to match his strides, but to no avail. The small tiger eventually ended up taking two steps for just one of his. Twigs and thorns snagged at her dress, streaking her golden fur with dirt and grime. Several rips appeared in the fabric of her clothing as they made their way to the village, but Bai Jian didn't slow down. He was on a mission, and the mighty tiger wasn't about to let a pretty face reveal his soft side.

"Hey, long legs, could you maybe slow down a bit?" She pleaded, a branch slapping her in the face.

He smirked, stifling a chuckle as he looked over the tigress. Her face had several red streaks from thorns and branches scratching her face. The once beautiful qipao was now adorned with several tears and splattered with mud. Occasionally, a small leaf or twig clung to her soft fur. Her red sash was now limply wrapped around her side, the end dragging on the forest floor.

"Just because I am your prisoner does not mean that I am not a lady!" She cried.

Bai Jian brushed off a streak of dirt from her cheek, "I know, but it does mean that I will treat you like a soldier. And right now, you are _terrible_ at marching."

A small foot came slamming down onto his larger one in response. "OW!" He shrieked, clutching his throbbing toe. "What happened to Ms. Manners?"

Lianghu held her head high, not wanting to look him in the eyes, "A lady, when provoked, has the permission for self-defense."

"So I'm provoking you?"

"WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE YOU OAF?"

Bai Jian laughed, flashing his pearly white teeth at her, "You're funny. Now keep moving." With that, he shoved her further down the trail, causing her to trip into a puddle of murky water. Lianghu glared at him she picked herself off the ground and continued to trot along beside him. He was tempted to break into a jog just to see how she protested, but that would also mean giving her an opportunity to run away. A tree branch blocked his way, so reached out a hand to brush it aside. Once he passed, the branch came swinging back to Lianghu, giving her a mouthful of leaves and bark. She clenched her tiny fists, restraining herself from attacking him in sake of her father.


	2. Chapter 2

Da watched with an amused smirk on his face as Bai Jian led Lianghu up the path. He kept hidden in the bushes, making sure no one saw him. They only had about a mile to go, but the faithful commander kept a steady watch over them. He could tell that their prisoner was getting impatient. She would suddenly stop walking in protest, or throw some stick at Bai Jian. Da chuckled, they were certainly in for a ride with this girl.

Liangu glared at Bai Jian, "Where are we going?"

The clan leader shrugged, "Why should I tell you?"

"Because, you just have to."

"Hmmm…..nope." With that, he gave the girl another shove towards the direction of the palace. She sent him a piercing look then kept walking. Lianghu pulled her sash from a snagged bush, furious at the way she was being treated. Bai Jian, on the other hand, had an amused smirk on his face. It was obvious that the girl had never been handled like this.

Several shoves and glares later, the pair found their way to the palace. Lianghu's eyes went wide as she examined the colossal building. Two red columns guarded the doors, a golden dragon swirling its way up on each of them. The walls were not your typical structure. Instead of the intricate swirls laden with golden color, a great battle scene was depicted along the red barrier. Several life sized soldiers had their spears pointed to a cave, their faces displaying fear for whatever was inside of it. Lianghu quickly tried to remove all soil and leaves from her fur, but it was to no avail. A few clouds of dust would puff around the area she struggled to clean. Her bare feet brushed against the cool stone floors, making the dirt on her small toes crumble off.

Bai Jian noticed this and cleared his throat, "Try not to shed all over the floor. I just had the servants sweep."

A red blush crept over Lianghu's face, but a voice from behind spoke for her. "Don't listen to Bai Jian, he's just cranky because he didn't have his tea this morning."

Bai Jian rolled his eyes and faced Da, "Just take her to the dungeon."

The commander smirked at his boss. He looked over at a quaking Lianghu and put a comforting hand on her, "It's okay. I won't let him do that." The tiger faced Bai Jian again, "You're gonna put a delicate little flower like Lianghu in a dark, stinky, cold cell?"

"Da." Bai Jian warned. He ignored the grumpy tiger and continued, "Sir, with all due respect, you S-T-I-N-K at giving orders. Just let Li Ai give her a bath and find some clean clothing. We can at least let her stay in one of the empty barracks."

The leader clenched his fists, "DA, I am your leader and you will do as I say. Do NOT forget your place. Now take her down to prison cell 18C and keep her there!"

Lianghu shrank back, frightened, and Da inwardly sighed, "Yes….sir."

With that, the tiger led the girl away. He started for the doors, and her eyes widen, realizing that she was about to step into the grand palace. Their footsteps came closer and closer to the door. Surely her eyes never had nor never would see anything so grand!

"Right this way," Da softly said as he led away Lianghu past the magnificent doors. A side door swung open as the male tiger pushed on it. What was beyond this block of wood made the girl's heart sank.

The first thing that Lianghu noticed was the pungent stench drifting though the cold stone walls. It was horrid, making her nose crinkle in disgust. A torch here or there would light the way down the dark hall, but it was still dimly lit. The female tiger took a calm breath, she was strong. Nothing was going to make her quake in fear, especially not an arrogant tiger named Bai Jian. She put a bare foot onto the frigid floors, making her shiver. Da grabbed the nearest torch and started walking briskly. Not wanting to be left behind in the strange surroundings, the small girl quickly followed. At one point, Lianghu took a step too fast and slipped on the slimy moss covering the stone. A puddle of stale water greeted her as she fell.

The two tigers made their way down the corridor and ascended upon a cascade of stair steps. They passed several cells filled with vile prisoners. A wooden sign marked with strange symbols hung over each door. Lianghu stared at them curiously, trying to interpret the meaning of the mysterious carvings.

Da answered the question for her, "Those symbols tell us who the prisoner is inside, and what penalty they were arrested for."

She raised an eyebrow as they walked, "Why would you want to know that?"

He shrugged, "Different reasons. Food rations, location of cell and security. What their punishment is."

Lianghu nodded, trying to understand the confusing words. They continue walking at a steady pace until the two came at the dead end. She looked around, not sure why they had stop. "Um, I thought he said to put me in a cell?" She squeaked out.

Da chuckled and replied, "He did. 18C."

"So where is it?" She looked around, seeing nothing but stone walls through the dim light.

"You're standing on it." With that, the commander stooped down to the cold ground and raised a wooden lattice.

Lianghu peered into it, trying to see what was inside. There was a single candle to shed light in the small room. In a rock crevice laid two bowls, she guessed they were for food and water. A roughly cut wooden stool sat in the middle of the cell, standing alone in isolation. The only other object in the cave-like holding place was a bamboo ladder leading out of the dark room.

"Well…." Lianghu commented, "It's….different."

Da remained silent as he motioned for her to climb down the ladder. The tiger girl obeyed, and slowly descended down into the "death trap". The second her bare foot scraped against the jagged floor, she knew that her dress made of thin and torn fabric would not be adequate against the icy air. Da quickly pulled up the ladder once she was fully submerged into the cell.

"Da," She whispered, her voice barely audible as the words escaped from her lips.

The commander looked at the young girl, thinking that she was probably going to plead for her life and tell him some sob story. "Listen," He answered, "I may have a soft side, but I am also a soldier who will do as his leader commands. You will get one cup of water a day, along with the allotted food rations. If you try to escape from your cell, the penalty is immediate death. Any screaming, plotting with other prisoners, or violation of rules will result in a merciless beating. At noon every day, we will bring you out to the courtyard for exercise and to complete tasks we give you. If you fail to fulfill these requirements, you shall receive a merciless beating. Any talking back, unwanted physical contact to guards, or resistance to the soldiers will result in a merciless beating. If you try to starve yourself or refuse to eat food, it will result in a-"

Lianghu finished the sentence for him, "A merciless beating. I get it."

Da slammed the lattice down onto the opening of the hole, making the iron hinges squeak and rattle.

"Good." With that, the tiger left, leaving her alone in the darkness, a single candle for company. Lianghu's eyes watered, blurring her vision as she sank to the floor. Her once beautiful dress crinkled around her slumped form, the golden dragon that had swirled so lively around her now hung its head as if death had squeezed out its last breath. The tigress knew that she had to be strong, but how can a single ray of light shine through such darkness? If her father could see his daughter now, he would be ashamed of the way she showed this weakness. Tired from the long hours of being shoved through the forest, Lianghu's throat was dry and parched. A pair of trembling hand quickly reached out for the clay bowl on the rock ledge. She quickly emptied the bowl's contents, letting a few droplets of the cooling water trickle over her dirt-laden fur. The water felt good against her cracked dry lips. All too soon, the nourishing liquid had disappeared from the container. Lianghu leaned against the wall, the stones slightly heating up from her body heat. Heavy eyelids closed down on her face. She needed to rest, but the candle could burn out if she didn't keep a close watch on it. The classical struggle of flesh vs. will played out in the prisoner cell, and no matter how hard the tiger girl fought it, her body gave in and slumber overtook her.

* * *

Bai Jian studied the map laid out in front of him, concentrating on both the minor and major details. A door creak opened behind him, but the leader didn't care to glance over his shoulder.

Da walked over to his commander, arms crossed over his chest, "Surely there's a better solution to this than to torture the girl."

Bai Jian's eyes remained on the map as he answered his friend, "My father once said that if you want to chase your enemy away, you simply scare it off. If you want to capture it though, you must strike fear deep down into the bottomless pit of the heart."

"That's a bit disturbing." Da commented, "You can't just throw her into a cell and forget about her."

"You're questioning my orders?"

"No, but I'm questioning the man who gave them."

Bai Jian didn't answer and marked a certain area on the map. He didn't want to get into another argument with the headstrong tiger.

Da peered around his shoulder, looking at the paper, "I wonder how your sister is going to react when she hears about this."

"Li Ai won't find out about this."

A feminine voice greeted them, "Find out about what?"

Bai Jian quickly turned away from the table and faced his sister, papers rustling as he did. "It's none of your concern."

Li Ai raised an arched eyebrow as she set down the tray she had been carrying, "It just became my concern. What's going on?"

The tiger turned back to his map, "Just our solution to the gypsy raids, that's all."

The tigress looked at Da with a questioning look, and he swallowed, "I-I can't tell you."

"Da." She said as she quickly pinned him against the wall, arms over his head. Hazel eyes seemed to pierce through his soul, "Tell me or say goodbye to your left foot!"

"Bai Jian!" He cried, shrinking in terror at the tigress, "Tell the crazy cat woman to let me go!"

The tiger sighed and lifted his eyes from the parchment paper, "Li Ai, release him."

"Not until you tell me what's going on!"

"Fine." He casually leaned against the wood table, "We have a new prisoner named Lianghu. We're holding her hostage until the gypsy leader agrees to stop plundering our villages."

"Oh." Li Ai quickly lifted her hands from Da's arms, causing him to slide down upon the floor. "Where is she?"

"Cell 18C."

"WHAT?" She shrieked, "Why on earth would you stick her in that mud pit?!"

He shrugged, "She's a prisoner, not the emperor's daughter. Besides, gypsies don't do well behind stone walls."

"That prisoner of yours is also a girl." Li Ai picked up the tray filled with two teacups and a pot of brewed jasmine tea, "Honestly. Would you put ME in that ratpit?"

"No, but you're my sister."

"She could be someone else's sister too! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have tea with this Lianghu." With her head raised high, Li Ai started for the door.

Bai Jian smirked, "What if she's a cold blooded murder?"

"Then I'll be with my own kind." A door slam followed her answer, and the tigress made her way down to the infamous cell 18C.


	3. Chapter 3

Lianghu stared at the rock ceiling as she swished her tail back and forth. It had been only a couple hours since she was thrown down into this cell, but the tigress was already bored. She had tried singing, but the fellow prisoners would scream and yell for her to stop. There was nothing to occupy her active mind, and slowly it became idle.

The once tall candle now sagged down with the heat emitting from the single flame. The light danced on the walls, revealing carvings from previous inhabitants of the eerie pit. One marking in particular stood out to the young tiger girl. Instead of melancholic words scribbled across the wall, they seemed to tell out a story. The tigress took a small step closer, her feet making ripples in the murky water as she tried to get a closer look.

Lianghu never really had a strong education. Her father had always objected to it, even when her mother tried to teach her. Nevertheless, she learned at least a few Chinese characters. That was all though. The markings on the stone were hard to make out, something about a sword? Lianghu finally gave up trying to make out the unreadable words and turned back to her crudely carved table.

* * *

Li Ai briskly walked down the corridor; the teacups on the tray clattered as each step sent them jostling forward. Her hazel eyes seemed to be on fire as she broiled over her brother. _The nerve of that guy!_ She fumed in her head, _Putting a poor girl in that miserable pit. He should be ashamed, disgraced, dishonored-_

A voice besides her interrupted her thoughts, "Li Ai, wait up!"

Da quickly caught up with the foul-mooded tigress.

"What do you want, Da? Have you come to drag me away from the murderous girl? Did Bai Jian tell you to do that? WELL YOU CAN TELL HIM TO BUZZ OFF! I CAN DO-"

"Woah, calm down." The tiger raised his hands in innocence, "Bai Jian didn't send me to come get you. In fact, he doesn't even know I'm here." Da gave her a goofy grin, his pearly fangs glinting in the torchlight, "You're always against his every word. Why?"

Li Ai shrugged and kept walking, "I never really had a say in anything when I was younger. It eventually drove me crazy and I finally decided to speak out one day."

Da halfway nodded as they reached the end of the hallway and looked down at the lattice. He picked up the metal bars and let Li Ai down then followed.

* * *

A creaking noise from above startled Lianghu, and she strained to see what was straining the lattice. To her surprise, a tigress around her age stepped down the ladder. She had soft lips and high cheek bones, the stripes on her face seemed to swirl instead of being jagged and straight like most felines. Piercing golden eyes adorn her face, yet they had a hint of gentleness to them. The girl was slightly taller than a regular female tiger, and she seemed to carry herself with a dignity only nobles were capable of. In her hands rested a tray filled with two dainty teacups accompanied with a teapot. _Maybe their some kind of new torture device,_ Lianghu thought.

The girl smiled as she set the tray onto the rough wooden table, her laugh wrinkles appearing around her eyes and mouth, "I'm Li Ai, the infamous Bai Jian's sister. And this," she motioned to Da, who had come up behind her, "Is Da, captain of the guard and the worst secret keeper ever."

Da rolled his eyes, not bothering to comment. Li Ai set out the two teacups and saucers, "I hope we didn't startle you. I just thought that you might want some company, I know that this place can get lonely."

Lianghu was silent as she watched Li Ai pour the jasmine tea. It was still hot, making the steam swirl around the delicate painted cups. Li Ai took a small sip and sighed with content, "The perfect balance between honey and mint. Go on, try some," She wave a hand towards the teacup sitting before Lianghu, "It's not poisoned, I promise."

The tigress put a slightly trembling hand out and grasped the handle. She raised the cup to her lips and sniffed it. The tea certainly did _smell_ good, and it had been hours since Lianghu drank any type of liquid.

Li Ai raised an eyebrow as she watched the tigress and whispered to Da, "She's _sniffing_ the tea. Should we be concerned?"

The tiger chuckled and shook his head, "She's probably just terrified of you."

Li Ai stomped on his foot, causing him to yelp in pain. Lianghu stared at the scene before her, losing interest in the tea. Li Ai and Da acted like they hated each other, but they were obviously close. _Maybe they're brother and sister?_ She thought, _No. Da's the captain of the guard and Li Ai is Bai Jian's sibling._

"Um, pardon me," She half whispered, half spoke, "I was wondering if-"

Li Ai interrupted her, "I know exactly what you're wondering."

"Oh, um, uh, y-you do?"

She nodded, "Of course! Almost everyone wonders about it. So the answer to your question is no, Da does not have lice."

Lianghu looked at her with wide eyes, "Oh no, not that! I was wondering if-"

"I have lice? I can assure you with confidence that I definitely do NOT have lice."

"Um, no. It's-"

Li Ai raised a delicate black eyebrow, "You think I should wear more green? Because if you do, then my brother will hate you."

"Well, um, he already does, so there's not much more harm I can do there. But my question is-"

Da rolled his eyes, becoming annoyed with the conversation and stood, "Your brother will be searching for us, Li Ai, it is time for you to leave."

Li Ai sighed and raised herself from the wooden stool, "You're right, but even a mighty commander such as yourself could have some manners." The tigress turned to Lianghu, "I'll come visit you again tomorrow. It was wonderful talking to you." She bowed, her shoulders and back still carrying the elegance and grace of a noble.

Lianghu stood and tried to mimic her actions, only to stumble and fall onto the floor. Li Ai laughed, her perfect white teeth flashing in the candle light.

"It's okay," Li Ai gently said, "It takes some practice. I took an entire two years to get it right." She bent down and helped up the small tiger girl, glaring at Da. He raised his hands in innocence, not knowing what to do. Lianghu stood up straight and brushed off the tattered remains of her dress. Li Ai noticed the rips in the material.

"Um, change of plans. Da, you go tell my brother that I'll be late for dinner."

The large feline raised an eyebrow, "Why should I do that?"

Hazel eyes sent daggers towards him, "Because I said so. Now I COMMAND you to go do as I say or I'll have your hand served as finger food!"

Da rolled his eyes and did a slight bow, "As you wish,_ princess_."

With that, the tiger left, leaving the two girls alone. Li Ai started to climb up the ladder, motioning for Lianghu to follow her. The tigress obeyed, scaling up the long ladder as well. At first, the dim torchlight was a bit blinding to Lianghu. She squinted, trying to figure out where she was.

Li Ai smiled at the young tigress, who was still trying to control her eyesight. Something caught the noble tiger's eye. The sign beside the cell 18C. _The idiot_, she thought as she read the markings.

The wooden plank said:_ Prisoner Status: Extreme. Heavy weapon. Rations: One pint of water._

She clenched her fists in anger. Her brother was always a bit rough, but never like this. Li Ai quickly grabbed the board and snapped it in half. Lianghu watched with wide eyes. The tiger brushed off her hands and kept walking, with the young girl following behind.

"Um, pardon me but, where exactly are we going?" Lianghu squeaked out. Her barefoot feet were cold and clammy from the icy stone floor.

Li Ai grabbed a torch from a side of the wall, "To the treasury and then to the market. My stupid brother can be heartless sometimes, and it's about time I do something about it."

She led Lianghu out of the dungeon and into sunlight. Lianghu took a deep breathe, loving the way the rays of light helped warm up her frozen body. Sunshine danced around her body, showing streaks of gold in her dirt cladded fur. Li Ai took a deep breath also, only to look over at the small tigress. The stench arising from her was pungent and just plain awful. _The treasury and market can wait, but first, this girl REALLY needs a bath._

Li Ai quickly grabbed Lianghu's paw and dragged her past the red columns leading into the castle.

* * *

Bai Jian rubbed his sore eyes and sighed. The message he had received from the Rom Bora proved that the gypsies were being rather….difficult to communicate with. Apparently, the gypsy king had moved his clan a day's journey to the west, and was not aware of his daughter's capture. Bai Jian looked over the crumpled letter once again.

_To the leader of the Tiger Clan:_

_Our people have moved several miles west of your borders. You cannot reach us unless you are willing to enter into the Leopard Clan's territory. On the subject of my daughter, I will not be able to retrieve her until matters with the Leopard King are settled. Send a scout to find us and we'll destroy your clan village by village._

_~The Roma Bora of the Liúlàng rén_

Once again, the shriveled piece of paper was tossed back onto the table covered with scrolls and maps of the territory surrounding the Tiger Clan. It could be weeks before the thieving leader contacted them again. There had to be a way to get the gypsies back to the villages, and he was going to find it. It was possible that the gypsy king was bluffing, and hadn't moved his people. Bai Jian quickly unraveled a clean scroll and dipped his thin writing brush into the black ink.

* * *

Lianghu shrieked and clenched the sides of the porcelain tub as cold was dumped upon her. Her ears were laid back in terror as her bright blue eyes widened. Water streamed down her face, making streaks of clean fur across her cheeks and chin. Brown colored soap bubbles covered most of the now murky water. Li Ai watched with amusement as the girl was scrubbed from head to toe by her old nursemaid. The tigress's torn dress was currently being burned in the fire pit, and Lianghu was clearly _not_ enjoying being bathed. The maid had furiously scrubbed every inch of her, and was now working on pulling the pieces of snagged bark and thorns from her fur. They had to change the bath water once already, and the girl somehow still had dirt on her. Li Ai could hear the murmurs of disgust from the servants behind the fogged glass doors.

Lianghu shivered from the cold water and watched with horror as Li Ai whispered something in the maid's ear then quickly exited room. She walked past the servants, giving them a few harsh words then pointing out other things to do instead of just listening to a poor girl howl with protest of being bathed. They quickly did as they were told, and once the tigress was satisfied that no one else was going to discriminate the young girl, she headed her way up the grand staircase and into her room.

Li Ai looked over the several dresses in her closet. She was several inches taller, so the dresses would be way too big for Lianghu's small frame, but considering that Bai Jian would get suspicious if she had the tailor come out and adjust a few to the girl's size, they would have to do for now. Li Ai tried to find a couple that were a bit shorter than the others, and finally succeeded. One dress was a light blue color, golden flowers decorating the hem and waist line. Li Ai had worn it before her major growth spurt in her younger teen years. The other dress was a more simple design. It was made out of wine red material, and no elaborate stitching. She quickly pulled the two dresses off the racks and made her way downstairs.


	4. Chapter 4

Lianghu shivered, draping the warm, fluffy towel around her body. Places on her body had been scrubbed that she didn't even know existed. Her once dark golden fur now brightly shined a light sunny color. The maid who had bathed her had left the room, leaving the tigress alone in the bathing room. She looked around, awed by the wealth displayed on the walls. Several paintings decorated them, showing off the beauty of the forest and nature. One particular picture stood out to Lianghu. It was of two tiger lovers, caressed in each other's arms. The woman's head was turn away, resting gently against her partner's chest, hiding her probable beauty. The male, however, had his head peering above the girl, his eyes downcast in love on her. Those eyes. They seemed so familiar. A beautiful blue color they were. Like an ocean on a sunny day, the light reflecting off the water.

"Here we are!" Li Ai's voice came from up behind Lianghu, causing the startled feline to jump in surprise.

Li Ai just smiled at her, not bothering to comment, "I brought a couple dresses from my room for you. I hope you don't mind if they're a little big, I'm unable to bring a tailor in right now considering the circumstances. This whole mess has probably been very vexatious for you."

Lianghu stared at her, did a princess just curse?! Her father would always forbid her to use foul language, claiming that her mother would disapprove of it. His voice still rang in her head, "Just because we are gypsies does NOT mean that we are foul creatures. Even we have standards."

The young girl opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. It took all the courage she could muster to speak out, "Um, well," the tigress cleared her throat, "I-I would be…..grateful if….you didn't use that type of language. Father always said that it was inappropriate for a girl…"

Li Ai stared at her like she was half crazed, "Excuse me?"

"I-I don't believe in cursing…"

For a moment, the royal tiger stood silent. Lianghu cringed, afraid that she had just crushed the only hope she had of escaping. Li Ai's face slowly curved upward, a smile adorning her beautiful face. To Lianghu's bewilderment, she started laughing!

"Lianghu," she chuckled, "Vexatious isn't a curse word. It's just a regular word, meaning something along the lines of a big pain in the neck. In other words, a description of my brother." She laid the two dresses across the bench, "Choose whichever one you like best. Come out when you're done changing so that I can see you!" With that, the princess left the shivering Lianghu alone.

* * *

Da waited outside for Li Ai to come back out of the women's bath. Bored, he tried to balance one of his concealed daggers on his finger. It fell to the floor with a clatter. Da sighed and quickly scooped it up. Li Ai had been in there a while, and the soldier was getting tired of waiting. He heard her laughter dance around in the air, causing the commander to smile. His heart picked up its pace quite a bit, but he made go back down. Li Ai. That beautiful, smiling tigress. His princess. She was always happy, picking on him and trying to get the serious tiger to smile along with her. Of course, he never did. His oath required of him to never slack off on protecting the royal family, and for Li Ai's sake, he would follow this vow, no matter what would happen. The palace guards were not allowed to marry, so whatever romantic feelings they had for someone were immediately cut off.

Li Ai quickly came out and began to walk down the hallway. Da quickly caught up with her, "Where are you going?"

The tigress's dress swirled around her legs with each stride she took. "I'm going to see my brother."

Da's eyes widen, "Uuh, I wouldn't do that if I were you, princess. He's in a foul mood at the current moment."

She rolled her eyes, "Da, how many times have I asked and COMMANDED you not to call me princess! That title sickens me." They arrived at Bai Jian's office. Li Ai quickly straighten her dress and turned to Da, "Do I look okay?"

Da's eyes quickly glanced over her, seeming a bit disinterested in it, "You fine. Go on in." Li Ai nodded and quickly opened the carved door, leaving Da alone in the hallway with his one thought, _you always look beautiful, princess._

* * *

Bai Jian groaned as he heard the door to his office swing open, "What do you want, Li Ai?"

The tigress closed the door behind her, "You can tell who enters through the door just by the sound of their footsteps?"

The tiger rolled his eyes, "No, I'm pyshic. You just have the habit of walking into a person's private room without knocking."

Li Ai shrugged and trailed over to his desk, picking up one of the small writing brushes, "Lianghu needs some decent clothes."

Bai Jian narrowed his eyes, "And why would she need clothes? She is our prisoner, not an honored guest."

"Fine, go ahead and let the girl freeze to death. I'm sure that her father will come running to our alliance at the news of how his daughter was treated. She needs new clothes. And a decent room."

Bai Jian snorted, "If every prisoner was treated like the way you wanted, our province would be ruled by thieves and thugs."

The tigress clenched her fists, her face turning a shade of red, "She's just a girl! You have no heart, Bai Jian. Have you ever considered that the only way to be at peace with the gypsies is to marry that poor girl?!"

The leader's muscles tensed at the words, "Don't you even think about me marrying that barbarian. I would rather die."

Li Ai quietly set the brush back on the desk, "Lianghu still needs proper clothing. If the Rom Bora sees her in the condition she's in, he'll burn every village to the ground."

The tiger rubbed his face, irritated at the conversation, "…fine. Get her a couple dresses. To be honest, I really don't care at this point. But under NO circumstances is she to be given a room. I can't risk her breaking into the library at night and stealing important documents."

Li Ai broke out into a smile and hugged him tightly, "Thank you."

Bai Jian's face slightly curved as a smile barely shone through, "Your welcome. Now get out of here before I change my mind."

The tigress quickly let go of her brother, bowed, then exited the office. Bai Jian twirled the small brush in his fingers absentminded, trying to concoct a plan to rid the filthy gypsy from the palace. Another knock came on his door. Annoyed, he swung it open again.

"What is it, Lianghu?! I told you, GO!"

A small goat messenger stared up at him with wide eyes, quaking with fear, "U-um, your majesty," he quickly bowed, "A messenger from one of your generals." He handed him the scroll, which Bai Jian quickly took.

The tiger hastily unrolled it, "Thank you. Dismissed."

The messenger bowed once again then left.

* * *

Li Ai knocked on the door leading into the woman's bath, "Lianghu, are you ready? My brother said that I could get some clean clothing down at the market and-"

The door swung open. Lianghu quickly stepped out, leaving Li Ai's mouth gaping. Now, I know what you may be thinking here, that Lianghu probably looked dashingly gorgeous, the dress fitting her frame perfect, her face like an angel. However, this was not the case. The tigress stood in the doorway, looking as unpleased as the dress was. The color of pastel blue obviously was meant for someone besides her. Even the dress itself did not fit properly, too big in some places and then too snug in other.

Li Ai sighed, "Well, at least it's something for right now." She grabbed a cloak hanging on one of the many hooks in the wall, "Wear this for right now. As soon as we find a dress that you like, we'll burn this one. Now come on." With that, she grabbed the tigress's wrist and quickly led her out into the hallway. Da faithfully followed them at a distance out of the palace and onto the path leading down to the village. Lianghu trotted alongside Li Ai, trying to keep up her brisk pace.

* * *

"Beautiful jewelry for a beautiful young lady," cooed one of the merchants.

"Diamonds, they shine almost as bright as your eyes, Miss." Another vender called out.

Lianghu stared out at the several shops laden with fabrics, gold, spices, and jewelry from exotic places all over the world. She had never seen such riches! Li Ai appeared to be a bit bored with it all, leading the tigress down the streets and to their target destination. Huli's. He was one of the most famed dress designers in China, and Li Ai was definitely going to need his help with Lianghu.

They stopped in of a smaller two story building. The shop, like all the others, was squished up between other stores, but something was different about this one. Maybe it was because instead of the bright decorated signs hanging in front of all the shops, a simple wooden plank was nailed over the doorway. On it was "Shāmò Zhī Huā" painted in black Chinese symbols, meaning Desert Flower. Li Ai told Da to wait outside, saying that a man shouldn't be in a dress shop. He argued, claiming that Huli was a male also, and he owned the store!

Li Ai quickly spat back, "True, but he holds a needle, not a sword. Now unless you have plans to become a dressmaker, stay outside!"

Da fell silent, solemnly taking his post at the door.

* * *

Two brown eyes narrowed as they followed the three felines walked into the store. Two of them somehow got into a quarrel, causing the strong male to stand outside. A deep chuckle emitted from the owner of the eyes' throat.

"This is going perfectly. Jin, what is the status of the assasins inside?"

The young soldier quickly looked up from his game of majong with the others, "They're in place, sir. Just as they were over two hours ago."

"Patience. Good things come to those who wait."

"Master, with all due respect, my butt is going numb from being patient."

The older tiger rolled his eyes, ignoring the last comment and averted his eyes back to the shop, "And Bai Jian?"

"On his way. He thinks he received an urgent message from one of the generals ."

The leader's face split into a vile smile. It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

Lianghu stared in awe at the brilliant display of colors surrounding her. There were dresses of almost all shapes and sizes inside the small shop. A smaller fox walked over to them, pearly white teeth adorning his smile.

"Your Majesty, it's wonderful to see you!" He took one of Li Ai paws into his own tiny hands and kissed. "I see you've brought a friend, another client for me perhaps?"

Li Ai shook her head, "Not today, Huli. This is Lianghu, she's a friend of mine and in need of a few dresses, got any in mind?"

The small fox once again smiled as he looked over Lianghu. This would be fun.

Before Lianghu knew it, dresses were flying off the racks as one after another were draped in her arms. The pile started getting so high that she could barely see over the top of it.

Huli stopped for a minute and turned to her, "This should be enough to get you started. There's a changing room upstairs, so go on and try those. the ones that you don't like, just put them on the chair in the back. Come down when you find one you like!"

The tigress nodded, carefully making her way upstairs and into the changing room.

* * *

Bai Jian quickly walked down the busy streets. Several villagers bowed in respect as he passed them by, but the tiger ignored them. He didn't have time to waste, his father taught him that a leader should not only be punctual, but early also.

Gems and trinkets dazzled in the sunlight as the young leader passed through the market place. His clear, green eyes were set straight ahead.

A scream interrupted his train of thought, and Bai Jian turned his head just in time to see a snow leopard crashed through a shop window. There inside was his sister, a jagged dagger being held against her delicate neck. Huli was pinned up against the wall by another leopard. The tiger swiftly pulled out his long knife and ran into the shop.

Li Ai's round, energetic eyes held terror as the snow leopard made a small cut into her skin, drawing blood. A small trickle of red liquid made its way down her neck and onto her shoulder.

"Let her go." Bai Jian commanded.

The snow leopard chuckled, "Now why on earth would I do that?"

"Then perhaps I won't have you slaughtered."

"Hmmm….Here's a better deal. Take one step closer, and your sister dies. If you try to rescue her, she dies. You leave me alone, she lives. Understand?"

Bai Jian's eyes weren't jaded, he would do anything to protect his sister.

"I'm giving you one last chance. Let her go, or die."

"Hmm…I think I'll pass. You're such a-" But the snow leopard wasn't able to finish his sentence. The tip of a sword sliced into his back and protruded out from his belly. His eyes widened as the taste of iron and salt filled his mouth. A sickening groan of death was the only thing heard before he fell onto the floor, a pool of blood surrounding his face. Da quickly slid his sword out from the feline, wiping off the sticky liquid on the dead leopard's shirt. Li Ai's wide eyes showed a small amount of relief, but the rest was filled with horror from the sight in front of her.

Bai Jian was already up the stairs, frantically looking for Lianghu. If someone had killed her, the gypsies would extract merciless revenge from them.

"Lianghu?!" He cried out. No answer.

"Lianghu, answer me!" Still nothing. Bai Jian quickly scanned the perimeter of the room. He didn't see the young gypsy girl anywhere. _They could be anywhere with her by now! Prob-_a red liquid spilling out onto the ground stopped him midsentence. The small tigress laid in a corner, a dagger sticking up from one of her shoulders.

Bai Jian quickly knelt down beside her, ripping off the sleeve of her dress to see how deep the blade was forced in. A small groan of protest was emitted from Lianghu's mouth, but that was all she could do. The tiger sighed in relief when he saw that the wound would be minor. The knife was only in a few inches, not even touching the bone. The small tigress closed her eyes, not wanting to show pain in front of him. He sighed, a small part of his heart cracking for her. This was probably too much for her.

"Lianghu," he softly said, "You're going to be okay, but I need to take out the blade, or it will continue to damage the tissue and muscle. It might hurt a bit, understand?"

She nodded, her fists already clenched and prepared for the pain. By this time, Li Ai and Da had the other leopard tied up and thrown against the wall along with the dead body. They had reached the top of the stairs just in time to see Bai Jian yanked a knife out of Lianghu's shoulder.

* * *

Lianghu fists tightened around her legs as the blade slid out of her muscle, but to be honest, she was just relieved to be alive. Bai Jian ripped off the hem of her dress to bind the wound until they got to the doctor.

Li Ai's familiar voice broke the silence, "Da and I will take the two men to the prison ward, we can question them later. You, Bai Jian, can take Lianghu to a doctor. You're faster than us anyways."

Da's eyes widen, "Uh, Li Ai, that isn't a very good idea considering-"

A stomp on his foot was all he got in reply. Li Ai continued, "We'll meet together for dinner."

The leader sighed and rubbed his face, "….fine."

The two tigers bowed and left the room, leaving the king of the gypsy clan's daughter and the feared tiger leader alone.

Bai Jian scooped up Lianghu in his arms and quietly made his way out onto the busy streets. A few people stared at the strange sight of their leader carrying a girl in his arms. Not liking the attention he was getting, the tiger quickly turned into an alley. He was going to see Doctor Chen, one of the few men he actually trusted.

Lianghu's eyes fluttered open, big blue orbs staring up at him, "Where are we going?" she softly squeaked out.

"To see a doctor. Save your strength and don't talk. It won't do you any good to be half dead when we get there."

The tigress fell silent, and after another five minutes of walking, she was asleep. Bai Jian looked down at her. She was definitely beautiful with her soft lips and sparkling eyes that were once full of life. He remembered the way she smiled as she danced around the fire, her dress twirling this way and that. A few of the men trying to dance with her, but the playful tigress refused them all. She seemed so...happy. Almost as if being a gypsy was a good thing, but Bai Jian knew better. The laughter. The music. They were all thieves. And Bai Jian was never going to let a thief hurt him again.


End file.
